The Four Sons of York
by LadyHallows
Summary: What if Cecily, Duchess of York and Richard, Duke of York had had another son? If there was a boy born between Edward and George, Henry 'Hal' of York in the year of 1445? How would history have changed?


**The Four Sons of York**

 **Description:**

 _What if Cecily, Duchess of York and Richard, Duke of York had had another son? If there was a boy born between Edward and George, Henry 'Hal' of York in the year of 1445? How would history have changed?_

 **21** **st** **August 1453**

 **Fotheringhay Castle, England**

Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, could barely contain the smile threatening to appear upon her face as she soaked in the summer sun. It was a beautiful day and she, and all of her children whom still remained with her, were out running around and plating under the watchful eyes of herself and their governesses.

Her eldest, Anne of York, had already left; wed to Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter when she was seven years of age. Cecily, personally, did not like the match at all, the nine years older Duke was unloyal, unkind and had Lancastrian sympathies as the great-grandson of John of Gaunt. But Anne was wed to him anyways, at was living with the Duke of Exeter at his family seat.

Then there was Edward, a handsome boy at the age of eleven who was play-fighting at this current point in time with two of his younger brothers. He was a child of good character, often smiling and joyous; and looked more like Cecily's father than either his mother or father. She knew many whispered of him being the son of an archer that she was alleged to have had an affair with, his appearance of favouring his maternal grandfather did nothing to help with that, yet the rumours had no truth. The Earl of March was simply born late.

After Edward was Edmund. A boy named to remind all of Richard's royal ancestry, of the factor that he is a descendant from Edmund of Langley – the second son of King Edward III, of whom Edward had been named for. Her second son far more resembled his father than any other. He was shorter and more delicate looking than his brother and the young boy was kind-hearted and sweet, loved greatly by both his mother and father. If Cecily was to theorise then she would say that he was Richard's favourite of their children; though he would never admit to such a thing. He was but ten years.

Then there was Elizabeth. The girl had reached nine years of age and is betrothed to John de la Pole, the future Duke of Suffolk. Elizabeth was the most talkative and confident of their daughters, taking much after Cecily in matters of loyalty and pride whilst looking like a perfect mix of Cecily – said to be the most beautiful woman of her time – and Richard.

And the fifth of her surviving children was Henry of York, affectionately called 'Hal' by her husband and herself. Out of all of her children he and George were her favourites, for Edward and Edmund were their father's heir and spare and yet the two of them were all hers. Hal was a tall boy – like Edward – and most gifted in looks. Like Elizabeth he took after both of his parents in looks and with some resemblance to Richard's mother: Anne Mortimer, with Cecily's bright green eyes, high cheekbones, aristocratic features, nose and mouth whereas possessing Richard's sharp jaw line, dark hair and very light skin tone.

The boy seemed to have got the best aspects of the both of his parents and was a mischievous boy who was full of life, kind, loyal and thoughtful but with Richard's fiery temper and Cecily's pride.

After him came his younger sister, Margaret, a child who was the image of herself; followed by George, another of her favourite children who greatly resembled herself, having golden blonde hair in contrast to Hal and his little brother Richard, he too seemed to have inherited Richard's temper and Cecily's pride, traits that were apparent in at least three of their children other than George; then by Richard, a boy of not yet one whom was already showing great signs of likeness in appearance towards his father.

Over the course of the years, however, Cecily Neville had also mourned many children. In 1438 she had had her first daughter, Joan, a babe who had lived but a year and died much to the devastation of Cecily and Richard; then in 1441 she had had her first born son, her first Henry, who had only breathed one shallow breath before leaving this world; William and John, born in 1447 and 1448 respectively had been stillbirths that she had wept over; Thomas dying at just four months in 1451.

Yet within all that tragedy Cecily Neville, Duchess of York had still created a dynasty. Through Anne Mortimer her children were the great-great-great-great grandchildren of King Henry III and great-great-great grandchildren of King Edward III through his second son, Lionel of Antwerp, also known as the Duke of Clarence. Through their father's father they were the great-grandchildren of King Edward III through his fourth son, Edmund of Langley, also known as Duke of York.

Through her mother, Joan Beaufort, they were the great-great grandchildren of King Edward III through his third son: John of Gaunt and his mistress turned wife, Katherine Swynford.

Her husband and thus her children had more of a right to the throne than King Henry VI, the mad King, and she was determined that one day she would be either Queen Consort or the Queen Mother.

For she had created a dynasty that nobody could tear down; for she had created a dynasty of Kings.

But what she and her husband had created would cost her almost everything she held dear; even if she did end up being the creator of the dynasty that she had longed for.

 _ **HoY-HoY-HoY-HoY**_

 **29** **th** **March 1461**

 _ **Battle of Towton**_

A dark haired male of six and ten years sat upon his horse, listening to the reports of the Duke of Norfolk, John Mowbray, as he informed them of the approaching Lancastrian troops; of how they outnumbered their forces by ten thousand men.

They were at a disadvantage, this young Henry of York knew, but none the less they would fight. They would fight and fight until they could fight no longer, they would fight for their right and for the atrocities committed against their father and brother, Edmund of Rutland, after and during the Battle of Wakefield.

Not to mention the factor that a snowstorm was brewing, Hal could not see past five feet ahead of himself, and it was swiftly getting worse and worse, the Duke of Norfolk having to shout over the whirling storm to get his words heard.

"Are we to pull back, Your Grace?" Norfolk inquired of Edward, now the Duke of York after their father's untimely death, "they far outnumber us and the storm is worsening, soon we shall not be able to see at all, I fear."

"Nay," Edward informed him, looking forwards, "we fight today and we fight to win. Ready your archers, Lord Fauconberg."

The man did as he was so commanded and, judging from the strong winds that he knew would send them straight into the approaching Lancastrian Army, he ordered the bows to be pulled to their maximum and fired.

Even from their placement, far down the hill, Hal could hear the pain filled screams and yells of the Lancastrian Army as arrows pierced their bodies, cutting them down by the hundreds as the archers fired again and again. Soon the Lancastrians began to shoot back, but they lacked the advantage of wind and thus their arrows fell short, plummeting into the snow in front of their forces.

More and more from the Lancastrian Army cried out, finally out of ammo and for a moment the Yorkists were too, until the Archers were ordered to pluck out the arrows from the snow that had fallen short of their forces, letting them shoot again and again.

The Lancastrians lacked any effective response and it was only a matter of minutes before they heard the sounds of hooves upon the ground. They were coming.

All four of the men leading troops into close combat: Edward, Richard, John and Hal had their own mass group of troops. The former man having over seven thousand whilst the others all had five thousand at their command, three thousand making up their archers.

Turning upon his grey horse Henry of York prepared to address his troops, observing as they looked up to him as their leader, as a man they respected, "upon this day," he began his voice raised in order to allow him to be heard even at the back of the group of five thousand soldiers, "we will fight for the liberty of our country from the mad 'king', Henry!" A cheer sounded through the air in response to his words, "upon this day I will fight within battle side by side with all of you, I will live or die with all of you, I will share Yorkist victory or defeat with all of you. Today, we will shape English history for ourselves! For today, we are one army, with one purpose. We are Yorkists!" 

The cheer was deafening with shouts of his name in admiration and devotion. They were proud to be lead into Battle by Henry of York, and they all felt loyalty towards him. He put himself upon the level of mere soldiers and knights, he treated them all as one. And for that he had earnt their life long loyalty.

The Lancastrians were swift approaching, the pounding of horse shoes upon the fallen snow growing louder and louder, reminding Hal greatly of the Second Battle of Saint Albans.

With a newfound confidence Hal pushed his sword hand into the air, holding his sword up for all to see, crying out, "for York!"

"For York!" The men shouted back in response.

And then they charged.

 _ **HoY-HoY-HoY-HoY-HoY**_

What was once white was now red.

Stained with the crimson blood of Yorkists and Lancastrians alike as the wounded and dead lay side by side.

This Battle would be remembered as the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought upon English soil; the battle that decided the fate of a nation.

Over 28,000 men had died upon these fields in a space if hours, bodies littered the floor just as grass littered a field.

And, in the end, it was a Yorkist victory.

Edward had grinned triumphantly as he pushed is sword high into the air, the Yorkist men still with the energy and possessing the ability, cheered loudly for their new King.

Meanwhile Hal helped a fallen comrade from the floor, a nasty injury to the leg adorning the man, and offered him a small smile, taking him to where scarce medical supplies and some food was being stored, in case the Battle had lasted days, and quickly gave the man some bread.

"Thank you. And thank you for your speech, I don't think I would have been – or anyone in our faction would have been – as victorious without in. You gave us all hope," the man informed him, seemingly savouring the taste of bread within his mouth.

Hal sighed, "yet many died still."

"When your brother is crowned King you will become Duke of York, as a royal Duke you will possess an army of your own, and as a Yorkist you will have many wanting to fight against you. Many more men will die for you, so you best learn to live with it, My Lord."

Even if he did not want to Hal could not help but see the truth in the mans words. For so long they had been fighting without stop, since before Hal or even Edward had been born there was still fighting; he had never given himself the opportunity to think of what might happen afterwards.

His mother had often told George and himself of how she had created a dynasty of Kings, and of how soon they would both be royal Dukes. He now knew that her words were true and he felt excitement grow at the thoughts of what may happen in the future, but also he felt dread.

Their rule would never be unchallenged, not with hostile Lancastrians still around to fight it, and he had no idea how many more battles would follow. But still he would fight and die alongside his men, for he was a Yorkist and they would never give in.

 **So I've been wanting to do a White Queen book for ages. I'm a big fan of Phillipa Gregory, though I must admit that I'm not that much of a fan of how she portrays Anne Boleyn but I still love the books. I hope you will all enjoy the story of Hal of York, I've got so much planned for him and please review to tell me what you think,**

 **LadyHallows.**


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